Inner tube.



C. H. DUCKETT & 0.11 FITZPATRICK.

INNER TUBE.

APPLICATION min SEPT. l5. 1911.

Patented May 21, 1918.

gnfntozs (+4 @Ecm HDUCKETT CHHRLES JFWZPHTKICK 85' ing said tread portion of the tube unirsi) STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

010111 H. DUGIETT AND CHARLES J. FITZPATBICK,

OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. imma roma 1,267,063. spammen of man Patm- Patenteu Mey 21, 191s. Application med September 15, 19,17. Serial No. 191,600. To au whomitmay 0M-em; posed circumferentially of the tube so that Beit known that we, Cnoin H. Doonn'rr and Cnanuis J. FrrzPA'rRiox, citizens of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inner Tubes, of which the followin Ais a specication, reference being had to t e accompanying drawings T is invention relates to certain im rovements in inner tubes for inflatable and has relation more particularly to a device of this general. character especially desi ed and adapted for use in connection with tires for automobiles or other vehicles, and it is an object of the invention to provide an innertube with novel and im roved means whereby puncture thereof, eit er by Wear or from a medium exterior of the tire, is substantially entirely eliminated.

It is also an object'of the invention to provide a novel and improved inner'tube wherein the tread portion of the tube is provided with means for holding the tread portion of said tube la ainst expansion in a lateral, circumferentia or transverse direction so that the tread portion of the tube proper is held, when the tube is iniiated, in substantially the same state as when the tube is de- Hated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an inner tube with novel and improved means disposed circumferentially of the tread portion of the tube for maintainaced or separated from the inner wall of t e tread portion of a casing or carcass in which the tube may be applied and wherein said means serves to relieve the tread portion of the tube proper against wear and further reduces to a minimum the possibility of puncture of the tube by a member which may penetrate the casing or carcass.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved inner tube having its tread ortion provided with protuberances dis ose circumferentially of the tube and whic are adapted to maintain the tread portion of the tube separated from the corresponding portion of a casing `or carcass when the 'tube is applied there-in and iniiated and which also serves to protect the tread ortion of the tube against wear and wherein said protuberances are` arran ed within an inbow or depressed portion isodies the tube will properly it within a casing or carcass with the possibility of pinching of the casing substantially eliminated.

The invention consists 'in the details' of construction and in the combination and arran ement of the several parts of our improv advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use,

inner tube wherein certain important Y as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of our invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that our invention may be the better understood we will now proceed to describe the samewith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1. is a fragmentary view in top lan of a tread portion of our improved inner tube, the same being in a flattened form; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating our improved inner tube arranged within a casing or carcass..

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings C denotes a casing or carcass of any ordinary or preferred type and in which is adapted to be inserted our improved inner tube T.

The tubeT is made of live rubber or other expansible material impervious to air and is molded or otherwise formed to snugly iit within the casing or carcass C when in ated.

The tread portion of the tube T is formed with a circumferentially disposed annular y depression or inbow transverse width.

At substantially its transverse center the depressed portion or inbow 1 is provided with the ciroumferentially disposed continuous annular outstanding rib or flange 2 formed of the same material as the tube T and preferably molded integrall therewith andrwhich flange or rib serves e ectually to prevent circumferential expansion of the tread portion of the tube T. Disposed diagonally of the tread portion of the tube T and entirely across the de ressed-portion or inbow 1 are the dia onal y directed outstanding flanges or ri s 3 also formed of the same material. as the tube T and integrally molded therewith. The ribs 3 are arranged in arallelism and are arranged in predetermlned circumferentially spaced 1 of a predetermined relation entirely around the tread portion of the tube T and are e ui-distantly spaced. Also disposed diagonally across the tread portion of the tube T and entirely across the depressed portion or inbow 1 are the ribs or anges 4 of the same material as the tube T and integrally molded therewith.

The ribs 4 are also in parallelism and disposed in circumferentially spaced relation entirely around the tube T and equi-distantly spaced one from the other and also spaced apart substantially the same as the s ace between the ribs or flanges 3. The

an es or ribs 4 extend ina direction reverse to t e iianges or ribs `3 and preferably at the same angle relative to the rib 2 as the ribs 3.

The intersecti'n portions of the ribs 2, 3 and 4 are integral y connected and it is to be understood that the ribs 3 and 4 serve effectually to prevent diagonal expansion of the tread portion of the tube T or that portion of the material of the tube com used in the depressed portion or inbow 1. t will also be noted that the diagonally disposed ribs 3 and 4 having their mtersecting portions integrallyconnected serve to prevent transverse expansion of that portion of the material comprised in the inbow or \depressed portion 1 of the tube T.

As is particularly illustratedin Fig. 1 the diagonally disposedribs or flanges 3 and 4 result in the formation of substantially diamond shaped pockets 5 with the circum- `ierential annular ribl 2 disposed centrally of the middle diamonds.

It is also of advantage to have the outer faces of the ribs or Ilan es 2, 3 and 4 of subi stantially the same radn as the radius ofI the circular inner'vvall of the casin or carcass C. By this arrangement it will e perceived that when the tube T is applied within the casin or carcass C the same will it snu ly therein and the oustandin ribs 2, 3 an 4 will not result in the pinc ing of the inner portion of the 4tube T.

As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanyingdrawings the ribs 2, 3 and 4 malntain the tread portion of the tube T spaced from the inner wall of the tread por- 'tion of the casing and carcass C so that the possibility of the tread portion of the tube T ein puncturedby a member penetratin the arcass C is substantially eliminatef Should a pebble or other comparatively small object pass through the tread portion of the casing or carcass C it will work its way into a pocket 5 and as the treadportion of the tube T will not expand, owin to the arranV ement of the ribs 2, 3 and when the tu e is inated, it will be at once self evident that such member within the pocket will notresult in a puncture of the tube. It will also be at onceappreciated that the ribs 2, 3 and 4 will prevent wear upon the tread portion of the tire so that the possibility of a blow-out is substantially entirely eliminated. However, in the event that the tread portion of the tube should blow-out the extent of said blow-out will be limited by the flanges 3 and 4 while at the central art of the tread por tion said blow-out vn' l be further restricted to the space between adjacent portions of the anges 2, 3 and 4.

It is recognized that when under infiation an expansion of the material comprised in the tube T occurs. This is not prevented in our inner tube as here embodied but such expansion of the material of thel tube occurs inwardly of the tread of the tube as defined by the inbow or de ressed portion 1.

From the foregoing dbscription, it is thought to be obvious that an inner tube constructed in accordance with our invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it ma be assembled and operated and it will a so be obvious that our invention is susceptible of some change and modication without materially de artin from the principle and spirit thereo andvgor this reason we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out our invention in practice except as ereinafter claimed.

We claim: f

.1. 'As a new article of manufacture an inner tube for an inflatable tire rovlded at its tread with connected rtu erances for holding said tread when t e tube is inllated in substantially the same state as when the tube is deiated.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an inner tube for a tire having an annularly disposed outstandin continuous rib disdefning a pocket 6 posed circumferentia ly thereof at substantially the transverse center ofthe tread por tion of the tube and circumferentially spaced outstandin ribs carried by the tread portion of the tu e and extending transversely thereof.

3. As 'a new article of manufacture, an inner tube for a tire having an annularly dis.- posed outstanding continuous rib disposed cireumferentially thereof at substantially p outstanding ofthe tube and extending diagonall thereof, said diagonal ribs being arrange in two series, the ribs of one series ing reversely directed relative tothe ribs 5. As a new article of manufacture, an inner tube for a tire having an annularly disposed outstandin continuous rib disposed circumferentia y thereof at substantially the transverse ce ter of the tread portion of the tube and circumferentiallyl s aced outstanding ribs carried by the trea portion of the tube and extending diagonally thereof, said diagonal ribs being arran in two series, the ribs of one series being reversely directed relative to the ribs of the second series, the ribs of each series being substantially in parallelism. l

6. As a -new inner tube for a tire having an annularly discontinuous rib disposed' circumferentially thereof at substantially the transverse center of the tread portion of the tube and circumferentially spaced outstanding ribs carried by 4the -treadportion of the tube and extending diagonali thereof said diagonal ribs being arl-an in two series, the ribs of one serlesV being reversely' directed relative to thejribs of the second series, the'ribs of one series .intersecting the ribs of the second series. 'l t 7. As a new article of manufacture, an inner tube for a tire having circumferentially spaced outstandin ribs carried by the tread portibn of thev `e and extending diagonally thereacross.

a new articleA inner :tube for a tire having circumfe tiall spaced outstanding trea portion of the tube and extending diagonally thereacrosssaid ribs being arranged in twol series, the being reversely directed relative to the As a new articleV of manufacture, 1an inner tube for a tire having circumferentiallyspaced outstanding ribs carried by the of the second series.

of the second' articley of manufacture, alil spaced outstandin of manufacture, i an ribs carried by the ribs of one'series tread portion of the tube and extending diagonally thereacross, said 'ribs being arranged in two series, the ribs of one series bei reversely directed relative to the ribs of tie second series, the ribs intersecting the ribs of the second series.

10. As a new article of manufacture, an inner tube for a tire having circumferentiall spaced outstanding ribs carried by the trea portion of the tube and extending diagonally thereacross, said ribs beingvarranged in two series, the ribs of one series beinlg reversely directed relative to the ribs of t e second series, the ribs of each series being substantially inA parallelism.

11. As anew article of manufacture, an

of one seriesinner tube provided at its tread portion with v an annular depression extending circumferentially therearound, and outstanding memarranged within said depression for holding` the tread of the tube against e ansion, said members being angularly rexlld and extending entirely across the emular de ression.

2.'As a new article of manufacture, an inner tubefor a tire having an annularly disposed outstandin continuous rib disposed circumferentia ly thereof at substantially the transverse center of the tread .portion of thetube and circumferentiall ribs carried by the tread portion of the tu and extendlng diagonally thereof, said dia onal ribs being'ar- .ranged in two series, t e ribs of one series in reversely directed relative to the ribs of t e second series, each rib of one series intersecting a plurality of ribs of the second series.

In .testimony whereof we hereunto aix ted :new:

` CECIL H. DUoKE'rr.

CHARLES J. .FITZPATRICK Witnesses:

W. E. Lawson,

M. B. Wnsoxr. 

